Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton were very good in the debate
Both Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders were well prepared. The reality is that Hillary Clinton outshined Bernie Sanders on international politics. But he used his judgement versus hers as his saving grace after conceding that she had more foreign policy experience. Well, she was Secretary of State.
In an election cycle where Americans have had it with establishment politics, it is incumbent on politicians to present a message that gives an expectation of change away from the status quo. Earlier in the debate Hillary Clinton touted her support from the vast majority of establishment politicians. She then opened the door for Bernie Sanders to rub salt into her Wall Street wound by narrating an inconvenient truth. Here is the transcript of the included clip.
Hillary Clinton: Senator Sanders has said he wants to run a positive campaign. I’ve tried to keep my disagreements over issues, as it should be. But time and time again, by innuendo, by insinuation, there is this attack that he is putting forth, which really comes down to — you know, anybody who ever took donations or speaking fees from any interest group has to be bought. And I just absolutely reject that, Senator. And I really don’t think these kinds of attacks by insinuation are worthy of you. And enough is enough. If you’ve got something to say, say it directly. But you will not find that I ever changed a view or a vote because of any donation that I ever received.
Bernie Sanders: What…
Hillary Clinton: And I have stood up and I have represented my constituents to the best of my abilities, and I’m very proud of that.
Bernie Sanders: … you know…
Hillary Clinton: So I think it’s time to end the very artful smear that you and your campaign have been carrying out in recent weeks, and let’s talk let’s talk about about the issues. Let’s talk about the issues that divide us.
Bernie Sanders: Let’s talk about — OK, let’s talk…
Hillary Clinton: And let’s — let’s…
Bernie Sanders: … let us talk about issues.
Hillary Clinton: … we both agree with campaign finance reform.
Bernie Sanders: Let’s talk about issues.
Hillary Clinton: I — I worked hard for McCain-Feingold.
Bernie Sanders: Let’s…
Hillary Clinton: I want to reverse Citizens United.
Bernie Sanders: … let’s — let’s — let’s talk about issues.
Hillary Clinton: And so — let’s talk about issues.
Bernie Sanders: Let’s talk — let’s talk about issues, all right? Let’s talk about why, in the 1990s, Wall Street got deregulated. Did it have anything to do with the fact that Wall Street provided — spent billions of dollars on lobbying and campaign contributions? Well, some people might think, yeah, that had some influence. Let’s ask why it is that we pay, by far, the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs, and your medicine can be doubled tomorrow, and there’s nothing that the government can do to stop it. You think it has anything to do with the huge amounts of campaign contributions and lobbying from the fossil fuel industry? Let’s talk about climate change. Do you think there’s a reason why not one Republican has the guts to recognize that climate change is real, and that we need to transform our energy system? Do you think it has anything to do with the Koch brothers and ExxonMobil pouring huge amounts of money into the political system? That is what goes on in America. I am not — I like there is a reason. You know, there is a reason why these people are putting huge amounts of money into our political system. And in my view, it is undermining American democracy and it is allowing Congress to represent wealthy campaign contributors and not the working families of this country.
Hillary Clinton: I don’t think you could find any person in political life today who has been subjected to more attacks and had more money spent against her by special interests, among whom you have named a few, than I. And I’m proud of that. You know, when I took on the drug companies and the insurance companies for universal health care coverage, they went after me with a vengeance. Hillary Clinton: Today, you’ve got hedge fund billionaires aligned with Karl Rove, running ads against me to try to get Democrats to vote for you. I know this game. I’m going to stop this game. But while we’re talking about votes, you’re the one who voted to deregulate swaps and derivatives in 2000, which contributed to the over-leveraging of Lehman Brothers, which was one of the culprits that brought down the economy. So I don’t know — I’m not impugning your motive because you voted to deregulate swaps and derivatives. People make mistakes and I’m certainly not saying you did it for any kind of financial advantage. What we’ve got to do as Democrats — what we’ve got to do as Democrats is to be united to actually solve these problems. And what I believe is that I have a better track record and a better opportunity to actually get that job done. That’s what this election should be about.
Chuck Todd: Thirty seconds.
Bernie Sanders: I think as Secretary Clinton knows, there is nobody who fought harder. I was on the House Financial Committee at that time. I heard the arguments coming from Democrats and Republicans — Robert Rubin, Alan Greenspan — about great an idea it would be if we did away with Glass-Steagall and if we allowed investor banks and commercial banks and big insurance companies to merge. Go to YouTube today. Look up Greenspan-Sanders. Listen to what I told them then. I helped lead the effort against deregulation. Unfortunately, we lost that. The result is — was the worst financial disaster since the Great Depression.